KingCopperhead's Build Thread

I'm working on it slowly hopefully by the end of the week. We've got a grapes and grubs to hit this weekend.

On a side note I just drove by the shipping company and the tractor trailer door was open and I saw the axle sitting in the back so it is headed your way.

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JK_b/c_yolo said:
I'm working on it slowly hopefully by the end of the week. We've got a grapes and grubs to hit this weekend.

On a side note I just drove by the shipping company and the tractor trailer door was open and I saw the axle sitting in the back so it is headed your way.

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Sweet! Can't wait to see your rig all decked out. I'm headed to rausch creek on Saturday with my son and a few friends. Then hopefully the axle comes in next week along with the rest of the parts I need and I'll have a few pics to send your way :D:D
 
KingCopperhead said:
Holy crap man, that sucks! How did that happen?
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After the RC meetup, we were driving back home and had horrible vibration coming from the front end. I couldn't source the cause of it and thought it might be a unit/wheel bearing. Took it to 4WP and found that the pinion nut in the front had backed out but not come off. That caused the driveshaft to vibrate. Also, the pinion nut allowed differential fluid to leak out the front diff which led to the Rubi locker frying, literally! All the clutch packs melted and fused together. The vibration caused the teeth in the R&P to get out of alignment and chewed up some of the corners.

$3500 later, I have upgraded to 4.88's in both F&R diffs and added an electronic OX locker to the front because I couldn't just run an open carrier and the OX was the cheapest upgrade without also changing my spline count on the front axles.

I had thought that I could just run an open diff and save the money for either an ARB locker or just upgrade the whole damn axle assembly to a Dynatrac or Currie 44, but the Rubicon axle won't let you run the front open.

Live and learn I guess. Just disappointed in the result from an otherwise awesome weekend. I'm still waiting to find out if the cause of the nut backing out is the actual JE Reel being out of balance. If it is, I'm going to get it rebalanced and then bitch them out. If its not, then it's probably user install error (being me).
 
JK_Dave said:
After the RC meetup, we were driving back home and had horrible vibration coming from the front end. I couldn't source the cause of it and thought it might be a unit/wheel bearing. Took it to 4WP and found that the pinion nut in the front had backed out but not come off. That caused the driveshaft to vibrate. Also, the pinion nut allowed differential fluid to leak out the front diff which led to the Rubi locker frying, literally! All the clutch packs melted and fused together. The vibration caused the teeth in the R&P to get out of alignment and chewed up some of the corners.

$3500 later, I have upgraded to 4.88's in both F&R diffs and added an electronic OX locker to the front because I couldn't just run an open carrier and the OX was the cheapest upgrade without also changing my spline count on the front axles.

I had thought that I could just run an open diff and save the money for either an ARB locker or just upgrade the whole damn axle assembly to a Dynatrac or Currie 44, but the Rubicon axle won't let you run the front open.

Live and learn I guess. Just disappointed in the result from an otherwise awesome weekend. I'm still waiting to find out if the cause of the nut backing out is the actual JE Reel being out of balance. If it is, I'm going to get it rebalanced and then bitch them out. If its not, then it's probably user install error (being me).
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wait im sorry im confused, why couldnt you run on open diff up front after the regear? i still run an open diff up front after my regear
 
cozdude said:
wait im sorry im confused, why couldnt you run on open diff up front after the regear? i still run an open diff up front after my regear
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I specifically asked 4WP if I could avoid replacing my locker and run an open carrier to support the ring in my D44. They told me no. I didn't get into specifics with them after that, as in, could I run it open if it was a D30 or anything like that.

I had been hoping that I would be able to run this:

Capture.JPG

But I was told that it wouldn't work. Being somewhat pressed for time because I was out my daily driver, I went ahead with the OX locker as my carrier.
 
JK_Dave said:
I specifically asked 4WP if I could avoid replacing my locker and run an open carrier to support the ring in my D44. They told me no. I didn't get into specifics with them after that, as in, could I run it open if it was a D30 or anything like that.

I had been hoping that I would be able to run this:

View attachment 109202

But I was told that it wouldn't work. Being somewhat pressed for time because I was out my daily driver, I went ahead with the OX locker as my carrier.
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they ripped you out of some money then sadly. the factory e locker is your carrier and is considered an open carrier when it isnt engaged. same goes for my arb in the rear. the arb is the carrier and is open until i lock it.
 
cozdude said:
they ripped you out of some money then sadly. the factory e locker is your carrier and is considered an open carrier when it isnt engaged. same goes for my arb in the rear. the arb is the carrier and is open until i lock it.
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Yes, but they suggested that I replace it once it got fried because small pieces of the clutch pack might break off and then mangle my brand new gears. If I didn't ruin the factory locker, I would have been able to re-use that for the new gears. Just wasn't a risk I was willing to take. Hope that makes more sense.


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What a freaking mess Dave. Sorry to hear that you had all those problems. You went the right route by upgrading and being done with it though. No sense having a rubi without a front locker :) I always look at breakage as an opportunity to upgrade. How do you like the ox setup? I'm thinking about putting the new 4 pinion eaton in my rear end eventually. Going to see how I do with my new rubi front locker and go from there.

If that driveshaft was messed up definitely give them a piece of your mind.

Glad to hear you're all buttoned back up and fixed. Did you ever get new tires?
 
KingCopperhead said:
What a freaking mess Dave. Sorry to hear that you had all those problems. You went the right route by upgrading and being done with it though. No sense having a rubi without a front locker :) I always look at breakage as an opportunity to upgrade. How do you like the ox setup? I'm thinking about putting the new 4 pinion eaton in my rear end eventually. Going to see how I do with my new rubi front locker and go from there.
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Haven't tested it yet, but I'm going out to Uwharrie on Sunday with a few guys and I'll let you know. I will say that the switch to activate it is so much nicer to use than the stock Rubi locker switch. Turning the lockers on is easy, but getting them off when you need to take a tight turn is something else.

KingCopperhead said:
If that driveshaft was messed up definitely give them a piece of your mind.

Glad to hear you're all buttoned back up and fixed. Did you ever get new tires?
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Not yet, but you'll see my build thread go up once I get 'em. I did just get some Mopar paint for the rings though, which should satisfy me in the meantime. ;) I'll post up a teaser once I get that done.
 
Sweet! My D30 is gonna see its last trip on my jeep when I go to rausch on Saturday. Definitely looking forward to seeing your beast set up. Was awesome looking when I saw it on the stock wheels and tires in August.


I need touch up paint for my atx Mojave wheels. It's such a funky color, and that teflon coated bs. I'm sporting a ton of rock rash and don't want the paint to bubble over the winter.
 
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Lil fun today
 

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And the last of my supplemental axle parts came in today. Axle is due to be in next Monday or Tuesday (I hope)

So my parts checklist:
Dana 44 Rubicon take off with evo skids and gussets, drag link flip brackets, and HD diff cover (in transit)
Front and rear 4.88 ring and pinion gears with Master install kit.
Crown rhd drag link for the drag link flip.
Mopar diy axle wiring harness (not the factory replacement but it's designed for sport owners upgrading to a rubi axle)
Ottraw Contura rocker switch.
Rugged Ridge a pillar switch panel.

Missing anything? I'm considering upgrading the ball joints since the axle will be out, maybe the tie rod as well. Kinda trying to hold off on spending more atm though with the holidays approaching.
 
Axle and gears are in!

OMFG what a night and day difference in the way this rig drives. There's actually power in all 6 gears. I am so thrilled. Didn't notice a big difference in steering with the drag link flip, but I like how everything is a little higher now. Way better setup for the wheeling I do. I can't wait to see how she handles off road.
 

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KingCopperhead said:
Axle and gears are in!

OMFG what a night and day difference in the way this rig drives. There's actually power in all 6 gears. I am so thrilled. Didn't notice a big difference in steering with the drag link flip, but I like how everything is a little higher now. Way better setup for the wheeling I do. I can't wait to see how she handles off road.
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right?! 4:88 in a six speed is amazing!
 
Rubizon said:
right?! 4:88 in a six speed is amazing!
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It really does feel "just right" plenty of get up and go on the road. I might even be able to pass people again! Very excited to see how it does on the rocks this spring. If the locker and gears are enough I might even stay on 35s just to keep costs and breakage to a minimum. I wish I'd done the gears sooner, what a difference. Didn't want to do it on the d30 though.

Worth every penny.
 
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